PlayStation.Blog

Here at Sucker Punch, we’ve spent the last couple of years hard at work on inFAMOUS 2. Over the last nine months or so, we’ve talked about a lot of things that make I2 awesome—things like crazy new powers for Cole, super-powered sidekicks, radically improved graphics and special effects, a cool new karma system with branching story lines and multiple endings—but we’ve managed to keep one major feature completely secret.

Until today.

Sandbox games like inFAMOUS 2 are a ton of fun. There’s a whole city to explore, and we provide lots of stuff to do in the city… but no matter how many missions and mini-missions and systemic opportunities and branching story lines we add to the game, eventually the story ends.

We thought inFAMOUS 2 would be better if it didn’t end—if you never ran out of missions and mini-missions to play and things to do. So… we spent the last two years adding a User-Generated Content feature to the game. With User-Generated Content, inFAMOUS 2 players can build new missions, then share them with the world. I think you’ll all quickly discover that while building missions is a lot of fun, seeing people play and enjoy those missions is even better!
There really aren’t a lot of limits to the sorts of missions you can build. Sure, you can build the sort of missions that will ship on the inFAMOUS 2 disk. Mission creators have access to the same set of characters, creatures and props—so if you want to set a pack of Hive Lords rumbling after Cole through the streets of New Marais, you can do it. If you want to have Cole and Zeke face off against Nix and Kuo, you can do it.

If you want to bend the rules of inFAMOUS 2 to create new kinds of missions, you can do that too. Wish I2 had pure stealth missions? No problem, you can create stealth missions. Looking for more of a challenge? Try taking away some of Cole’s powers—see how the player does facing a platoon of Militia wielding only his Amp. Or add an old-school platforming challenge, or a race, or… I could go on all day.

It’s pretty easy to do missions that are more like mini-games, too. Skeet shooting? No problem. Disc golf? Assuming you’re happy tossing around cars instead of Frisbees, sure. How about a mission where Zeke just tells you bad jokes until you shoot him? Um, yeah, you can do that, too.

Building missions is only half the story, of course—we make it super easy to upload your missions to the network, so other players can see your cool new missions.

User-generated missions show up in the world just like regular missions. When you walk up to them, you see the PSN tag of the mission creator, plus extra information like the mission’s current rating. And back at Sucker Punch headquarters, we’ll be watching—missions that get high scores will get promoted to the Sucker Punch Featured Missions list, and those missions will end up just about everyone’s copy of New Marais.

We think this is a neat opportunity for people to become famous for the missions they build. We know there are lots of creative people out there, people who love third-person action games like I2, and have great ideas about what they’d do with the game if they had the chance. Well, now we’re giving you that chance! Let’s see what you can do!

There will be a limited public beta of inFAMOUS 2 UGC starting in early April. We’ll be announcing how to sign up for the beta on March 14… watch infamousthegame.com for more details! And be sure to watch the video above to whet your appetite…

Was already bent on getting inFAMOUS 2 back when it was first announced (been a huge fan of the series and all). But now I am so sold that it isn’t even funny. I may suffer a heart attack if I don’t get this day one. Seriously… so much great improvements and content! User-Generated Content is something that I would’ve never expected in a sandbox game, but you, Sucker Punch Productions, have done it, and I am more than willing to welcome it. Endless missions? Sounds enthralling. So ready to get the HERO edition now… definitely worth it.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!! I really was not expecting this guys. I was ready for your traditional co op this online that announcement. Then you come out and add something totally left field! Great idea to add legs to the game! 100% love it!

what? What?! WHAT?!?!?!?! This is going to be SUPER EPIC!!!!! This was the last thing I was expecting… I don’t think any of us were expected this!! I’m starting to think that this might get game of the year!! But you know what could be even cooler than this? co-op!! It might sound a little crazy but it could be amazing!! I’m getting this on day one if I can. Sucker Punch, you are clearly doing the best you can, and are pushing your limits WAY beyond what many of us expected, thank you, and keep up the wonderful work!!

Sucker Punch, you folks brought me one of my fav platformers of all time (Sly series) than you brought me one of my fav Super Hero games of this current generation (Note: Arkham Asylum is my other fav). With InFamous 2 it was an insta-buy when you announced it, along side the Hero Edition and NOW THIS!?!?! I swear Uncharted 3 and Naughty Dog has some serious competition this year in the GOTY category(Imo). The wait for this has now become excrutiating!

Don’t do trophies related to this mode like the LBP ones.
– Your Mission was played 50 times –
– Rate 30 Missions –
Ecc…
A Leaderboard with missions tried/beated would be interesting for reward the player.

DAMN! sucker punch have finaly changed! in the sly games and infamous its allways the same… finish the game, finish the fun. its not as funny to complete the game like in the ratchet and clank series that when you beat it the difficulty will raise you will unlock new weapons but everything will get more expensiv. i have waited for this to happen, a way to keep the sucker punch games playable after youve beat´n it. now its time for a sly game with this future!

Good luck with this and dont forget to look across the shoulder for the media molecule guys, they are maybe pissed because youve taken there Little Big Planet slogan.

Now let’s not make the mistakes of other user-generated-content-driven games, and make sure that the same missions don’t get stuck at the top forever because people only play the missions at the top. There are many simple ways to avoid this negative feedback. E.g.
– Don’t count votes from people who found a mission via “top missions”
– Syphon off the top missions every week
– Use the same algorithms e.g. youtube uses for “trending videos”
Will be brilliant if this can be done.
I just wish there were more than just lightning powers…

@Aspherex “I just wish there were more than just lightning powers…” Umm… where have you been? In some cave??! There are more than just lightning powers in Infamous 2. Cole gets ICE POWERS and NAPALM POWERS to use in addition to his lightning. lol ^_^ So wish granted. hehe

Sucker Punch has never disappointed me when it comes to the dedication they put into their sequels, and I always knew that inFAMOUS 2 would be a fantastic game, and loads above the already excellent inFAMOUS, in the same way Sly 2 was loads above Sly 1.

This new feature sounds amazing, and could really evolve the sandbox genre on consoles. A lot of people complain about the lack of “replayability” in single player only games, and feel that the only option to extend replayability is through MP.

I replay quality single player experiences all the time. I’ve replayed the Uncharteds, God of War, and the original inFAMOUS too many times to count. Fantastic games have their OWN built in replayability factor. I’m currently replaying inFAMOUS (lost my PS3 save when it croaked on me last November), and I’m loving it all over again.

Can’t wait for inFAMOUS 2, and I’d love to get my hands on that beta to see what I could come up with. My mind is already buzzing with possibilities, especially if we are able to, on some level, add a little bit of narrative to our side missions, or potentially link multiple side missions into a sort of “side story” within New Marais.

That`s brilliant … But this is the real question can we play this user generated contents with our friends ? example when cole was in the air take care about bad guys in the ground zeke going to help us and clear our path i dunno but if there is online plus to user generated content than infamous 2 disc will stay in tray months and months :) good job Sucker Punch you guys really great and must be proud of yourselves couse now many gamer wants this game sooooooo BAD ;)

“We thought inFAMOUS 2 would be better if it didn’t end—if you never ran out of missions and mini-missions to play and things to do. So… we spent the last two years adding a User-Generated Content feature to the game. With User-Generated Content, inFAMOUS 2 players can build new missions, then share them with the world.”

In other words,”
hey everyone, here’s a level creater, we’ll release extra packs in the store to do more with, so you can spend even more money on a mediocre (< my opinion) game."

No, i didn't like the first one, it was boring and I will not get this one either, especially not with the cashcow that will be the mission creator. :\

This is great news! Loved the 1st InFamous and can’t wait for 2 – this is just icing on the cake of creamy goodness!
On a side note I’m hoping there will be an easy filter system to find user generated content. ie friend made / mission type / top rated etc. I’m sure there is going to be a lot of content out there and anything to help find the best is always a PLUS.

I can see my missions now. Can you alter the stats of an enemy or something? Can you give Cole unlimited energy during certain parts of the mission or will be have to be creative and put him on top of a power generator while he shoots down a thunder storm like in inFAMOOUS near the end.

You guys are AMAZING! I loved the first Infamous. I was kinda bummed you didn’t do any DLC for it. I beat it as good then as evil then I felt kinda let down and hungry for more. Mission creation is a great idea! Can’t wait to get my hands on part 2!

Naw, j/k this is all kinds of awesome. This is the future! Forget waiting for the company to make DLC, we can do it ourselves. Imagine being able to do this for the next Uncharted or Red Dead…yeah,sign me up.